Resolved for the New Year: Become Your Own Biggest Loser

There is no doubt about it, the number one New Year's resolution is to lose weight and exercise more. Here are a few simple tips to help you achieve and maintain that goal.

There is no right or wrong time to resolve to slim down and plan a regular weight management routine. But, there will always be a host of reasons why sticking to a regimen becomes difficult, including cooler temperatures, expensive gym memberships and busy schedules. And, as a result, people quickly lose the drive to stick to a healthier lifestyle. Fortunately, according to NBC's The Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper, "Staying healthy throughout the year can actually be simple, fun and affordable. The key is to set realistic goals and create a routine that you can easily incorporate into your everyday life."

To help forge a healthier path, Harper offers a few tips and tools for long-lasting success:

• Channel your energy: You don't have to be a couch potato to watch TV. While watching your favorite show, try doing a few sets of lunges, push-ups and crunches, or grab free weights and do a couple sets of bicep curls; if free weights aren't available, a shampoo bottle or milk carton can be a great substitute.

• Keep afternoon snack cravings at bay: Snack cravings come up every day, so you need to arm yourself with simple tools to help you stay away from snacks that just aren't worth the calories.

Many people find that the temptation to snack on sweets strikes right around 3 p.m. So, when you're eyeing that cookie during a team meeting or salivating over the last bite of your child's after school snack, try chewing a piece sugar-free gum can help reduce snack cravings.

• It's more than a number: Once they reach their goal weight, many people lose the motivation to continue exercising and eating healthily.

This "quick fix" mentality often invites the pounds to creep back on, which leads to frustration. For long-lasting results, focus on overall lifestyle changes to help keep that number on the scale down.

• Plan ahead: Create a calendar at the start of each month to help shape your workout routine.

This tool will help you schedule social activities around your fitness regimen, instead of trying to squeeze exercise in between plans--or forgoing it all together. And when you successfully complete a month of your healthy routine, reward yourself with a personal gift, such as dinner with friends or new exercise gear, to help keep you motivated.